Edo Women Storm Benin City Streets To Protest Over Guber Poll

Edo Women Storm Benin City Streets To Protest Over Guber Poll - Politics

October 08, 2024

Social Media Agog as Edo Women Storm Benin City Streets to Protest Over Governorship Election

Thousands of Edo women, dressed in black, took to the streets of Benin City on Monday in a massive protest over the just-concluded Edo State governorship election.

The women, outraged by what they described as the manipulation of the electoral process, are demanding that the mandate given to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, be respected.

The election saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, declared the winner amidst widespread allegations of rigging, voter suppression, and a lack of transparency in the electoral process.

The women, dressed uniformly in black attire, marched in large numbers through major streets in Benin City, chanting songs of solidarity and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Respect Our Vote,” “INEC Must Obey Court Orders,” and “We Stand with Asue Ighodalo.”

Eyewitnesses described the protest as one of the largest and most organized in recent history.

As the protest unfolded, social media platforms, particularly Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, were flooded with images and videos of the march.

The hashtag #EdoWomenInBlack quickly began trending, as users across the country and beyond expressed their support for the women’s cause.

One Twitter user wrote, “The power of Edo women should not be underestimated. They are standing for truth and justice! #EdoWomenInBlack.”

Another commented, “This is what true democracy looks like – people standing up for their rights. INEC must listen to the voices of these brave women. #EdoWomenInBlack.”

Many social media users shared videos of the women chanting, holding placards, and demanding that INEC obey the law and allow the PDP to inspect electoral materials, as ordered by the court.

"We came out in our numbers on election day, stood under the sun, and cast our votes. Now, they want to tell us that our votes don’t count? We will not accept that," one protester told reporters.

The protesters also called on the international community to take note of the situation in Edo State.

"We are calling on the United Nations, the African Union, and all global bodies to see what is happening in Edo. This is an attack on democracy, and we cannot allow it to stand," another protest leader stated.